FOOT PEDAL MODULE

• US 20100037726A1
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: BECK, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 8,312,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/514
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/38 comprising means to continuously detect pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/44 pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/03 Means for enhancing the operator's awareness of arrival of the controlling member at a command or datum position; Providing feel, e.g. means for creating a counterforce arrangements for indicating the position of the controlling member G05G1/015
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20534 Accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2054 Signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A foot pedal module (1) including an enclosure (3), a rotor (11), a foot pedal (15), two springs (17, 19) and a circuit board (33). The enclosure (3) has a trunnion (5), an outer ring (29) and a cover (39) for accommodating and protecting the rotor (11). The rotor (11) is linked with a bushing (7), a tappet, a lever (13), two haptic springs (17, 19), two damping elements (21, 23) and a driving element (27). The circuit board (33) carries an inductor array (25) which are designed as flat coils and located opposite the damping elements (21, 23). The foot pedal (15) is linked to the lever (13) and bushing (7) by a ball joint (35) and a socket (27).

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A foot pedal module (1) comprising:

an enclosure (3),

a rotor (11),

a foot pedal (15),

two haptic springs (17,19), and

a circuit board (33),

the enclosure (3) exhibiting a trunnion (5), an outer ring (29), and a cover (39) for positioning and protecting the rotor (11), the springs (17, 19) and the circuit board (33), and the rotor (11) being linked to a bushing (7), a lever (13), the two haptic springs (17, 19), two damping elements (21, 23) and a driving element (27),

the circuit board (33) carries an inductor array (25) in a shape and form of flat coils which are positioned opposite the damping elements (21, 23), and the foot pedal (15) which being linked with the lever (13) and the bushing (7) via a ball joint (35) and a socket (37).

13. The foot pedal module (1) according to claim 12, wherein a return spring, which is linked to the bushing (7) and the rotor (11) and which, in case of an interruption of the link (35, 37) between the foot pedal (15) and the lever (13), turns the rotor (11) into a particular error position.

14. A foot pedal module (1) being mechanically connected with a foot pedal (15) through a link (35, 37), the foot pedal module comprising:

an enclosure (3),

a rotor (11),

springs (17, 19), and

a circuit board (33),

a front face of the rotor (11), which is activated by the foot pedal (15), carrying at least one activating element (21, 23), and

the circuit board (33) having coil arrays, designed as flat coils (25) or hall sensors, being positioned opposite, and have at least to the activating element (21, 23) a constant gap.

15. The foot pedal module (1) according to claim 14, wherein the least one activating element is designed as an eddy current damping element (21, 23), which alters an inductance of at least one of the flat coils (25) and, if applicable, a resonant frequency of a related resonant circuit, depending on movement.

16. The foot pedal module (1) according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the activating elements is designed as eddy current damping element (21, 23) which alters a magnetic coupling excitation of at least one of the flat coils with the flat sensor inductor (25) based on motion.

17. The foot pedal module(1) according to claim 14, wherein at least one activating element is a permanent magnet which generates a signal, in the hall sensor, depending on movement and overlap.

18. The foot pedal module(1) according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the springs (17, 19), the activating parts (21, 22), or the inductor array (25), is designed to be redundant.

19. The foot pedal module(1) according to claim 14, wherein the enclosure (3) includes a trunnion (5), an outer ring (29) and a cover (39) for accommodating and protecting the rotor (11), the springs (17, 19), and the circuit boards (21, 23).

20. The foot pedal module (1) according to claim 14, wherein the rotor (11) is linked with a bushing (7), and a driving element (27), and two haptic springs (17, 19), and also features a lever (13) and two damping elements (21, 23).

21. The foot pedal module (1) according to claim 14, wherein the foot pedal (15) is flexibly linked, via a ball joint (35) and a socket (37), with a lever (13) of a bushing (7).

22. The foot pedal module (1) according to claim 14, wherein a return spring engages with of a bushing (7) of the rotor (11) and, in case of an interrupt of the link (35, 37) between the foot pedal (15) and the lever (13), the return spring biases the rotor (11) into a desired position.